Barrow-Slatter-Gaidry Family Papers

This collection covers 18 linear feet and spans 1790-1973 with the bulk of the materials dating 1840-1917.

The Papers of the Barrow, Slatter and Gaidry families consists of personal and business correspondence, business and legal documents, topical files, newspapers and newspaper clippings, ledgers, books and pamphlets, ephemera, and photographs. Early nineteenth century materials in this collection detail the business and personal life of Robert Ruffin Barrow, a wealthy sugar planter of Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana. Later materials document the life of his descendants and their families including his daughter, Volumnia Roberta Barrow Slatter Woods and his granddaughter, Clara Slatter Gaidry.

The personal correspondence consists of letters exchanged among the members of the Barrow, Slatter, and Gaidry family and their family and friends. Early letters in the collection include letters from Robert Barrow's father Bartholomew and his step-mother Bethia. There are also numerous letters to and from Barrow's nephews, the Ratliffs who were the children of his sister, Ann Bennett Barrow Ratliff. Barrow contributed to their upbringing and education. Several of the letters are between the three brothers. One of these nephews, William Ruffin Ratliff, married into the Pugh family of Assumption parish and became the owner of Barrow's Locust Grove plantation near Napoleonville, Louisiana. Noteworthy is the Civil War era correspondence from Horace L. Hunley who was Barrow's brother-in-law. Later correspondence is primarily to and from the Slatter sisters: Clara, Louise and Annis. The business correspondence includes letters documenting work and related business to Barrow's vast sugar plantation holdings. Many of these letters are from overseers employed by R.R. Barrow, including John B. Pittman who was the son of Barrow's step-sister Margaret "Peggy" Brantley Pittman. Pittman would later become owner of Barrow's Oak Grove plantation in Lafourche Parish. There are aslo letters to both Barrow and Pittman from Pittman's brothers. Also included are several folders of undated letters or letters with indecipherable dates.

The Business and Legal Papers consists of invoices and receipts, miscellaneous banking documents, log counts, Honduras store accounts and employee lists and payroll accounts. Legal papers include notarial and legal documents and notices, printed summaries of court cases involving R.R. Barrow, estate inventories, land surveys and an 1856 copy of the Trade Wind Hotel charter which was a hotel planned for Last Island in Terrebonne Parish before the destructive Hurricane of August 1856. Records of enslaved people include slave lists containing names and ages, occupations, value and plantation of residence.

Topical files contain miscellaneous documents, ephemera, clippings and related materials covering various topics on agriculture, sugar, memorials and funeral notices, sale booklets, catalogs and advertisements, songs and poems, religion, education and political commentary and circulars. Of note is an 1863 broadside proclamation printed in French and English in New Orleans from President Abraham Lincoln detailing the process for pardons and swearing an oath of allegiance for former Confederates. Other noteworthy documents are printed commentary by R.R. Barrow giving his thoughts on Secession and the Civil War.

Miscellaneous ephemera and artifacts comprise the next series and includes wedding invitations, calling cards, holiday and greetings cards, programs, tickets, flyers, ink blotters. Locks of hair from family members are also part of this series.

Manuscript volumes and books include several early journals and ledgers. The earliest is a cyphering book kept by David Rice Slatter dating from 1790-1791. There are also two handwriting practice books which belonged to James R. Slatter from 1832-1833. A French copybook from 1840 belonged to Barrow's nephew, David Ruffin Ratliff. There are several account, time book and payroll ledgers related to Residence Plantation as well as an account ledger from the Honduras Store. Included in this series is a copy of a typescript of a journal kept by R.R. Barrow.

The photograph series includes family photographs of the Slatters and Gaidrys, photographs of Residience Plantation house, photographs of other family and friends as well as unidentified photographs. Early postcards received by family members are included.

Blueprints and Newspapers consists of two maps of prairie lands and cypress swamp lands and several newspapers and newspaper clippings. The newspapers date to the Civil War era as well as the early 1900s and are primarily from New Orleans.